Johann Coenraad Gie, SV/PROG 1

From The Swiss at the Cape of Good Hope, 1652-1971

By Adolphe Linder

Page 67

"Gie / Kie, Johan Coenraad born Zurich 22.3.1727, brother of Johan Caspar, and son of Andreas Gy and Anna Margaretha born Liguren, both of Huguenot families. A carved copy of his seal is exhibited at the Koopmans de Wet House in Cape Town. [1]

A FOUNDATION MEMBER OF THE FIRST MASONIC LODGE AT THE CAPE

Gie arrived 1.4.1751 on Rozenburg for Kamer Amsterdam2 and in the same year became a member of the Grootekerk community, submitting an attestation dated Zurich 3.3.1750.3 1751-1755 served as soldier, [2] 1756 requested burgher papers and 18.12.1757 married Engele Johanna Ley born 8.3.1740, granddaughter of Michiel Ley of Basel.

In 1764 he persuaded his brother Jan Casper to come to the Cape to work for him.

Over the years Gie bought many properties in Table Valley:

• a) 1761 by T3632 an erf from Hermanus von Wielligh, sold 1775 by T4690 to Abraham de Haan;
• b) 1772 by T4521 an erf from Estate Hilletje Verschuur widow of Hendrik Hop, sold 1799 by T7626;
• c) 1773 by T4526 an erf from Jan Meynderts Cruywagen, sold 1798 with warehouse by T7325 to his son Coenraad Johannes Gie;
• d) 1780 by T5290 an erf from Pieter Damus, sold 1783 by T5619 to his son Johannes Gie;
• e) 1780 by T5294 an erf from Agatha Henning, sold 1782 by T5407 to Johan Jurgen Lingenvelder;
• f) 1783 by T5574 an erf from Hendrik Pieter Moller, sold 1800 by T50;
• g) 1785 by T5911 together with Jean Martin an erf with dwelling house and two warehouses.

Apparently a successful businessman, he also served as Captain of the Burgher Force, as Burgher Councillor and as Elder of the Grootekerk. Anreith’s pulpit in the Grootekerk is inscribed: Deze preekstoel is onder het opzicht van den Burger Ouderling Johan Coenraad Gie gemaakt en daar van de eerste Predicatie gedaan door den oudste leraar de Eerwaarde Heer Jan Petrus Serrurier den 29 Nov. Anno 1784.

Gie was also a keen freemason. Before the establishment of a lodge, the local freemasons had a loose association which welcomed and entertained fellow freemasons, many of them high officials, passing through Cape Town. When in 1772 the Loge de Goede Hoop was founded with ten members, Gie was the first secretary. In 1777 he was elected chairman, but not being conversant in English was not re-elected in 1778. [4]

On 2.3.1790 the following request by Gie was granted: “Burgher Councillor and as such having session in the Council of Justice, has reached the high age of 63 and finds his bodily and mental powers weakening so that he can no longer properly perform his duties, especially as he is getting deaf…..wishes to retire from office, with retention of his rank as member of the Court of Justice and on a level with junior burgher function. [5]”

He seems however to have carried on business on his own account, for in the same year he submitted a list of provisions required for the troops and soldiers who had been on board the wrecked ship Le Comte and who were to be conveyed to France in the English ship Aurora. [6] Finally, in 1792, he sought discharge from his duties as Captain of the 3rd Burgher Infantry Company as for the last two years he had suffered from severe dizziness and other bodily ailments and had repeatedly been unable to carry out his duties. [7] Gie died 23.7.1793. [8]

He had six children:

• 1. Twins born 1762, Anna Catharina and
• 2. Johannes, married Anna Catharina Kirst, died 1793.
• 3. Jasper born 1764, died 1765.
• 4. Andreas Casparus born 1765, died 1767.
• 5. Michiel Coenraad born 1767, married Elsabe Antoinetta la Febre widow of Andre Urbain de Lenipe of Nyon VD.
• 6. Coenraad Johannes born 1769, married Anna Margaretha Blanckenberg.

Sources for above extract.

• 1 De Villiers: Genealogies;
• 2 KAB, MR 1751-1755; NL, ARA, MR 1751-1755;
• 3 DRC, G1/13/1;
• 4 Cooper: The origins and growth of Freemasonry in South Africa 1772-1876;
• 5 Leibbrandt: Requesten 1789: 15 and 1790: 56;
• 6 Ibid. 1790 131;
• 7 KAB, C 1005: 63; 8 KAB, MOOC 6/1."